CAMBRIDGE, Ohio – Former Martins Ferry City Schools bus driver Ronald D. Irvin Vah Jr., 58, of Martins Ferry, appeared in Cambridge Municipal Court Monday to answer charges on allegedly operating a school bus under the influence.
Vah was charged with OVI (operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol), implied consent to a chemical test, physical control, and endangering children while driving a Martins Ferry City Schools bus on August 26.
Vah reportedly was driving a bus carrying Martins Ferry City Schools students and coaches to a volleyball game in Cambridge.
Vah waived his right to a speedy trial Monday. Vah is now scheduled for a two-day trial on March 20 and March 21.
In the August 26 incident, the Cambridge Police Department responded to a complaint about a reportedly impaired man at Cambridge Middle School during a student volleyball game. Parents at the game witnessed Vah allegedly “stumbling, screaming and wobbling” at the volleyball game.
Cambridge Patrolman Zach Smith found a cooler allegedly belonging to Vah on the bus with medicine bottles and a stainless steel tumbler with liquid that reportedly smelled like alcohol.
Martins Ferry Coach Nikki Baranski told police Vah was driving “really bad” and that that she and two other coaches witnessed Vah allegedly almost hit other cars with the bus in traffic on Interstate 70 in St. Clairsville. Baranski told the officer the bus left Martins Ferry around 3:30 p.m. and arrived at Cambridge Middle School around 5 p.m.
Vah apparently did not stop driving after the alleged near-miss accidents in St. Clairsville, and allegedly drove on to Cambridge, which is approximately another 45 minutes’ drive.
River News Network will continue to follow this story.
